Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-17

ed with a long sabie-lined garment,
Which she wrapped With anxious ten
derness about her mistress. The latter
thanked her with evident appreciation
of her devotion. and the maid was
about to withdraw. when couple OF
men appeared and hastily approaching
the woman. the foremost walked quick
~ past US, laid his hand upon her
shoulder saying:
''You are Christine Elborge, the
maid Of Nine. Ercisson?"
The woman bowed and madame
made hasty movement as if to speak,
but her maid interrupted it.
eff you have anything to say to me,
this is no place, in the presence of
ladies aud gentlemen. Let US go for
Ward.'
She moved away, but before she had
taken many steps She Wrenched her.
self, suddenly, from her captives, turn
ed swiftly, seized her mistress hand
and pressed it convulsively to her lips,
then turned again to the men. Imme-
diately the second warning came for
us to leave. Mime. Ericsson turned
pale as death and implored that some
one should lind her maid. It was too
late, however. Already the gangway
was being Lifted and with hasty fare.
we'll, which she was too paralyzed BY
surprise and emotion to return, we left
her, q white, terror-str;cken statue,
leaning for support against the bull
warks. We could not discover the
maid, upon landing, and were left in
suspense as to the meaning, of the sud-
den arrest. Never for a moment did
we associate the detention of Nine
Ericsson's maid with the theft of my
pitcher, b,H the next evening Mrs. Van
WORT and / were sitting slipping our
coffee when Dr.. Farnsworth entered.
WELL" he said. after saluting us,
1.-THE mystery is at last solved. Circum-
stantial evidence has convicted the
thief, for we cannot make the accom-
plice confess. Now, mesda,nes, who
do you you think stole the ptchcr?'
M. DeVendosa!' promptly replied
Mrs. Van WORT, evidently pluming her
self on Der persp cacitv.
"Wrong, dear lady," said the doctor,
with an amused smile; 1.-The pitcher and
your own valuables were stolen by 10
other than your charming guest, Nine.
Ericsson.
What a deuouenent! We could
scarcely credit our senses; and not ull-
til received the following letter from
Paolo DeFendosa was I thoroughly
convinced:
Dear Madame.
Now that you know the truth, let me
explain what must appear to you
mysterious. All, my poor darling! 10
think that she is unconscious of her ter
r1ble weakness. I have just come from
Christine, her nurse from her birth and
now her maid. 1t seems that my dear
one has always been afflicted with that
most unhappy of Ill diseases, klepto-
mania, and after the act is commit cd
she entirely forgets having perpetratc>I
it. Christine, with wonderful and per-
haps mistaken devotion, has taken up.
| Oh herself the risk of disposng Of the
articles, never referring to them before
her mistress. l saw Nine. Ericsson
| take your pitcher, also various thin gs
belonging to Nine. Van Wort and, Oh
madame, magine my torment when
tell you that l loved her. understood
it not, but one day, demonstrating witt!
her, she thou ht l insulted her anC
forbade my calling again. Since ther
l have been in torture until I learned
the truth from Christine. Oh
madame your good heart will sugges
some means Of procuring the poo,
creatures release! Meanwhile l 60,
fly to my darling, who shall know the
whole truth from one whose. lie shall
! be spent, if she permits it, in shielding
and protecting her weakness.
Ever, dear madame,
Faithfully yours
PAOLo DEVEEDOsA.